Why Are My Bird of Paradise's Leaves Splitting?
The Bird of Paradise is a natural star: the ideal plant for bright, sunny spaces, they grow big and beautiful with little care and require little water. You’ve probably seen Birds of Paradise thriving outdoors all over town, but they are also a showstopper indoor plant variety, effortlessly achieving great height and pushing out bountiful leaves. This plant variety has a naturally wild aesthetic, which includes frayed, feathery-split leaves.
Naturally Split Leaves
If you notice that your Bird of Paradise is exhibiting lots of splits and frays in its leaves, you can relax: this is completely normal. The split foliage does not mean you’re doing anything wrong! It’s a trait of the plant that evolved in nature. In the wild, the splits ensure that wind can pass through the plant’s foliage without breaking the plant or disturbing its roots.
Prefer Fewer Splits?
The Bird of Paradise is always likely to exhibit splits and frays to its feathers, so this trait will occur to varying degrees regardless of where your plant is situated. However, an indoor Bird of Paradise may exhibit less splitting if it is kept in an environment away from moving air (drafts from doors or windows, air conditioning units, heaters or fans.) The best thing that you can do for your plant is to give it consistent care according to its own specific needs. For Birds of Paradise, this means watering it only when its topsoil (the top two inches of soil below its decorative moss) are entirely dry, ensuring that it receives bountiful, bright indirect light, and misting it regularly. You can mist your Bird of Paradise with plain water, or give it an additional boost by misting it with a combination of water and a gentle Foliar Feed, like Potion Magique. When using Potion Magique, be sure to dilute the product, using approximately three drops for every eight ounces of water and shaking lightly to mix.
Bird of Paradise
A wild and bountiful indoor plant variety, the Bird of Paradise is the perfect low-maintenance plant for spaces that bask in plenty of bright, indirect light.